Senators and their fans celebrate outdoor victory over Canadiens

Between the eyeblack on his face and the balaclava covering his neck, the wide smile on the face of Ottawa Senators centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau told the tale.

After Pageau finally broke the ice in the NHL 100 Classic, deflecting an Erik Karlsson shot over Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price with 5:05 remaining in the second period to give the Senators a 1-0 lead, he jumped high into the side boards.

Most of the 33,959 fans at Lansdowne Park also jumped to their feet — not the Canadiens faithful — joining in the celebration.

“It was awesome,” said Pageau. “The atmosphere was crazy from the warmup to the last second of the third. To score that goal was pretty special and when I scored that goal and your goaltender doesn’t give up one, it makes it easy. We played a really solid game and when the atmosphere is that high, the energy is up.”

It only made sense for Canadiens’ killer Pageau to be in the centre of the action.

The goal was welcome, in more ways than one, for the Senators. It also provided a gave the fans a reason to move and warm up.

It was cold as hell; a bone-chilling minus-13 C in the third period. But to paraphrase Bryan Adams — who sang during the second intermission — the crowd was in hockey heaven.

Bobby Ryan is congratulated on his goal by Mark Stone as Jeff Petry skates away in the third period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Fans cheer in the first period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Fans react to the Ottawa Senators scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL 100 Classic in Ottawa on Saturday December 16, 2017 at TD Place. Ashley Fraser/PostmediaAshley Fraser/Postmedia

Carey Price punches Derick Brassard as he skates past in the first period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Matt Duchene takes a shot while Jordie Benn defends in the first period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Carey Price punches Derick Brassard as he skates past in the first period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Matt Duchene tries to corral the puck with Jeff Petry and goalie Carey Price looking on in the third period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Erik Karlsson is checked into the boards by Nicolas Deslauriers in the second period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Ottawa Senators right wing Bobby Ryan (9) celebrates his goal with teammates on the bench during third period hockey action against the Montreal Canadiens, at the NHL 100 Classic, in Ottawa on Saturday, December 16, 2017.Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Senator Gabriel Dumont tries to put the puck past goalie Carey Price with David Schlemko (R) defending in the first period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Craig Anderson turns away a shot as Canadiens player Daniel Carr is held up by Cody Ceci in the second period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

OTTAWA, ON - DECEMBER 16: (L-R) Gary Bettman commissioner of the NHL chats with Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, during the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens at Lansdowne Park on December 16, 2017 in Ottawa, Canada.Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images

Matt Duchene (R) tries to put the puck in the net with Shea Weber on his back while Jordie Benn checks Mike Hoffman into the net in the first period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Bobby Ryan celebrates his goal in the third period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Jean-Gabriel Pageau celebrates his second-period goal with the bench during the NHL100 Classic on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017.Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Matt Duchene reacts to a missed opportunity in the first period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Craig Anderson turns away a shot as Canadiens player Daniel Carr is held up by Cody Ceci in the second period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Action in the Senators end in the second period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Montreal Canadiens centre Byron Froese (42) and Ottawa Senators centre Gabriel Dumont (40) battle on the boards during third period hockey action at the NHL 100 Classic, in Ottawa on Saturday, December 16, 2017.Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Ottawa Senators defenceman Fredrik Claesson (33) and Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher (11) vie for control of the puck during third period hockey action at the NHL 100 Classic, in Ottawa on Saturday, December 16, 2017.Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Ottawa Senators defenceman Cody Ceci (5) congratulates goalie Craig Anderson (41) after the final buzzer as Ottawa Senators left wing Zack Smith (15) looks on following third period hockey action against the Montreal Canadiens at the NHL 100 Classic, in Ottawa on Saturday, December 16, 2017.Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Bobby Ryan is congratulated on his goal by the bench in the third period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Action in the Senators end in the second period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Erik Karlsson is checked into the boards by Nicolas Deslauriers in the second period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ Postmedia ORG XMIT: POS1712162020130116Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Jordie Benn skates away with the puck as Derick Brassard chases him in the third period as the Ottawa Senators take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL 100 Classic outdoor hockey game at TD Place in Ottawa. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ Postmedia ORG XMIT: POS1712162120580331Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Fans react to the Ottawa Senators scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL 100 Classic in Ottawa on Saturday December 16, 2017 at TD Place. Ashley Fraser/PostmediaAshley Fraser/Postmedia

They were that much happier when Bobby Ryan stole the puck from Jonathan Drouin and scored beat Price on a breakaway with 2:58 remaining to pad the lead. Nate Thompson scored into an empty net to complete the scoring.

As much as the comments from Senators owner Eugene Melnyk on Friday put a sour note on Ottawa’s grand weekend on the NHL’s outdoor stage, the fans were full of spirit as they took it Saturday’s action.

On the ice, the Senators did their part, dominating the first two periods. Ottawa outshot Montreal 15-8 in the scoreless first period and 14-8 in the second period.

While Senators goaltender Craig Anderson did his part when called upon to post his second shutout of the season — the Canadiens put on a push midway through the third period — but Montreal would have had no hope without Price.

From the faceoffs to the play on the boards to the defensive structure, the Senators owned the game, clearly adapting to the elements better than the Canadiens. Ryan made it clear, however, that it wasn’t comfortable.

“It was cold,” he said. “It was cold. It was cold. Yeah, every period, it got colder. But it was worth every second. Coldest I’ve ever been. Not even close.”

Ryan paid tribute to the crowd.

“The fans came out and made it a heck of a night by being loud and engaged. And when the home team gets two points and the city can rally around a great event, makes it all the better. It was well done by the NHL and the city and something I will look back on, absolutely.”

Karlsson, who played 32:55, was on the ice for all three goals and was wincing in pain after blocking two of his eight shots, says the Senators played the game they needed to — from start to finish.

“We came out strong and finished strong,” he said. “I don’t think we strayed from the game that needed to be played in an atmosphere like this. At the end of the day, we probably could have scored a few more, but Carey played great for them.”

As the clubs took the ice for the warm-up, the Senators sporting red toques and the Canadiens wearing white woolen headgear, it was minus-10.8 C. With windchill, it felt like minus-19. By the middle of the second period, the windchill was minus-21.

It was the second coldest outdoor game ever, trailing only the first-ever contest between Edmonton and Montreal in 2003.

It was a cool show from start to finish.

Before the puck dropped, the lights were turned off and the only brightness in the building came from the fans’ glowing lanyards. After Serena Ryder sang O Canada, two CF-18 fighter jets flew overhead.

A pair of legends — Daniel Alfredsson and Guy Lafleur — dropped the pucks for the ceremonial opening faceoffs.

Finally, at 7:17 p.m. came the lights, cameras and action of the first outdoor game in Senators history.

Considering the spectacle, it was easy to forget the significance of the Atlantic Division matchup.

The Senators, who broke their five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers and with a 2-10-2 record in their previous 14 games, are now three points behind the Canadiens and seven points behind Boston for the final playoff spot in the Division.

The Canadiens skated into the Ottawa Redblacks home fresh from a Jersey 2-1 overtime win over New Jersey Thursday.

After a tentative opening to the game, the Senators found their legs, dictating the pace. The Senators are still a long way away from a playoff spot, but they’ve finally re-discovered some long lost momentum.

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